Switch control mechanism and thread cutter for electric sewing machines



Sept. 11, 1962 D. FISCHBEIN SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM AND THREAD CUTTERFOR ELECTRIC SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. .DAVE' F/scHBE/N ATTORNEY Y Sept. 11, 1962 D. FISCHBEIN3,053,205

SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM AND THREAD CUTTER FOR ELECTRIC SEWING MACHINESFiled Feb. 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F;- J INVENTOR.

.DA VE .FZ scHsE/A/ WWW/4% A TTORNEY United States Patent 3,053,205SWITCH CONTROL MECHANISM AND THREAD CUTTER FOR ELECTRIC SEWING MACHINESDave Fischbein, 2720 30th Ave. 8., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Feb. 11,1959, Ser. No. 792,501 2 Claims. (Cl. 112-11) This invention relatesbroadly to electric sewing machines; more particularly to electricsewing machines in combination with a conveyor system for progressivelyadvancing filled bag containers to be closed by the sewing machines, andspecifically to automatic electric control mechanism for starting andstopping the sewing mechanism of an electric sewing machine and cuttingthe sewing thread.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an electric switchcontrol mechanism for electric sewing machines wherein the power sourceenergizing the electric motor of said sewing machine is automaticallyinterrupted to intermittantly stop and start the Sewing mechanism byengagement of the object to be sewed and the several components of theinvention.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination withcontrol means for stopping and starting the sewing mechanism, automaticmeans to cut the sewing thread at the end of each cycle of sewingoperation of a specific object.

A further object of this invention is to provide electric automaticswitch control mechanism for electric sewing machines when used inconjunction with a conveyor system whereby the objects to be sewed aresupported on the conveyor system and advanced to the sewing mechanismwhich is energized and stopped by the engagement of said objects on theconveyor system and the invention on the sewing machine.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing specification and claims, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

In considering the instant invention it will be important to note thatthe applicant is the owner of U.S. Patents 2,484,495 for Electric SewingMachine; and Movable Thread Cutter for Electric Sewing Machines,2,941,189, both of which are thought to be pertinent to the instantapplication and the invention involved herein.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of thefollowing devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described anddefined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a left hand side elevational view showing the inventionmounted on an electric sewing machine together with means for mountingthe same on the conveyor system.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the elements shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the movable threadcutter mechanism showing means for guiding the sewing thread intoengagement therewith, and

FIG. 5 is essentially a diagrammatic view in perspective showing theelectric sewing machine mounted on a conveyor or system, fragmentarilyshown, a filled bag being shown mounted on the conveyor and advancing tothe sewing mechanism as indicated by a directional arrow and a secondarydotted position thereof.

In this application for U.S. Letters Patent, in the interest of clarityand brevity it is thought that it will only be necessary to specificallyidentify the several elements of the invention proper, however, it willbe necessary to make reference to the following broadly to properlyunderstand the invention.

3,053,205 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 ice The electric sewing machine andits component parts taken as an entirety is identified by the numeral 6;the tubular supporting column of the conveyor system is in dicated bythe numeral 7; the movable conveyor platform 8 supports a bag-likereceptacle 9 filled with material and positioned on said conveyorplatform 8 for advancement to the sewing mechanism of the sewing machine6; see FIG. 5. The elongated element 10 shown in FIGS, is merely analignment member to facilitate the positioning of the bags on themovable platform 8 for advancement to said sewing mechanism.

Referring now in detail to the invention, the numeral 11 is directed toa pair of transversely spaced guide members shown on the drawings as apair of plates the outer end portions of which are in outwardly anddownwardiy diverging relation, see numeral 12. These guide members 11are rigidly secured to the frame of the sewing machine 6 by means of abracket 13, said bracket 13 being in the form of an angular plate, oneleg of which is secured by means of screw threaded studs 14 and theother leg thereof to out-turned [flanges 15 formed in the upper andinner end portions of the respective guide plates 11 by means of a pairof nut-equipped bolts 16. These guide plates 1-1 are so constructed andpositioned so as to guide the open upper end portion of a filled bag orthe like 9 into engagement with the sewing mechanism of the sewingmachine 6 as the same is advanced thereto by the controlled movement ofthe platform 8 of the conveyor system. It is to be further understoodthat these guide plates 11 have the additional function of primarilyclosing the open end portion of the bag 9 before the same is advancedinto direct communication with the feed dog and presser foot of thesewing mechanism 11 and 12 respectively.

The tubular supporting column 7 is in the form of a channel having anopen vertical passageway 17 extending the full length of one of its sideportions to permit verticalmovement and adjustment of the sewing machine6 relative to the conveyor platform 8 as will presently be described.

A hand wheel 18 is mounted for axial rotation on the upper end portionof the supporting column 7. While not shown on the drawings, themounting shaft of the hand wheel 15 is suitably geared at its upper endportion to a long jack-screw, the lower end of which is threaded onto alarge self-aligning nut, not shown, that in turn is secured to a guideclamp 19 and mounted for movement and vertical adjustment in thevertical passageway 17 in the supporting column 7. Internal cooperatingclamping means, not shown, integral with the guide clamp 19 is actuatedby a hand screw 19 to lock the clamp 19 and its mounted components inproper position on the said suporting column 7.

It is important to understand in considering this application, that theentire assembly is designed and constructed for use with the applicantselectric bag closer properly and specifically identified as ElectricSewing Machine U.S. Patent No. 2,484,495. Having so identified thesewing machine involved herein it will be simpler to understand certainof the mounting components hereinafter identified, and which, as shownand described, are constructed and dimensioned for use with this sewingmachine. It will be understood, however, that this limitation is notintended to be imposed upon the appended claims and that the inventionherein described is capable of universal adaptation within the scope ofits use by the simple expedient of alteration of the mounting elementshereinafter described.

A mounting plate 21 is dimensioned for application to the frame of thesewing machine 6 by means of a plurality of screw threaded studs 22, anda second bracket 23 is secured centrally on the mounting plate 21 bymeans of screw threaded studs 24 which extend through the flanged base25 and into aligned bores in the mounting plate 21. This second bracket23 is provided with a horizontal disposed bore 26 that extendstherethrough to receive the outer end portion of the stub shaft in thefirst noted clamp 19. This bore 26 is in the form of a longitudinallysplit sleeve, see numeral 27, FIGS. 1 and 2, and a hand screw 28 hasthreaded engagement with a threaded bore originating in a heavy boss 29on the second bracket 23 and extending into a reinforced section 30 ofthe flanged base portion of the said bracket 23.

It will thus be seen that the sewing machine 6 may be pivotally mountedrelative to its supporting means and by means of the components aboverecited, to sewing the same about the horizontal axis of the shaft 20for purposes of servicing, rethreading and the like, and converselyfrictionally locks the same in sewing position by the simple expedientof tightening the hand screw 28.

Of the remaining components of the electric sewing machine 6 it is onlythought to be necessary for the purpose of this application to identifythe electric motor 31, the electric cord 32 leading from the powersource, the cone of thread, not shown, and the sewing thread 33.

Rigidly secured to the mounting bracket 13, adjacent the lower edgeportion of the depending leg thereof is a conventional electric switchbox 34 having a short electric connection 35 leading to an electricmotor 31.

Pivotally secured to the underside of the switch box 34, and havingelectric switch connections at its inner end portion which extends intothe said switch box, is a long spring loaded switch actuating arm 37.This switch actuating arm 37 is angularly bent, see numeral 38, andnormally extends across a passageway 39 between the transversely spacedguide plates 11. It will thus be apparent that the upper and open endportion of a bag or receptacle 9 having been constricted by the actionof the guide plates 11, will, as it first engages the switch actuatingarm 37, commence to move the same about its pivoted axis to close theswitch mechanism in the switch box 34 to energize the sewing mechanism.By virtue of the long, longitudinally extended arm, the switch willremain closed as long as the bag or receptacle 9 is in engagement withthe sewing mechanism of the sewing machine 6. Ohviously, as long as thepassage of the bag or receptacle 9 being moved by the conveyor platform8 maintains contact of the same with the switch arm 37, the electricswitch will remain closed to energize the sewing machine 6.

As the filled, and now closed, bag or receptacle 9 is moved by theconveyor platform 8 beyond the reach of the switch arm 37, the latterwill spring back to normal position to open the switch and stop thesewing mechanism, said switch actuating arm 37 being again positioned inthe path of the next advancing bag or receptacle 9 on the conveyorplatform 8.

The sewing machine 6 is provided with a movable thread cutter 40, whichis the subject matter of a pending application for U.S. Letter Patentfiled by the applicant and specifically identified elsewhere in thisapplication, see FIG. 4.

To utilize this feature in the present embodiment in combination with aconveyor or system, a spring loaded arm 41 is pivotally mounted on theunderside of the outer depending leg of the mounting plate 21. This arm41 is formed at its outer end portion to provide a hook having a reversebend which automatically engages the sewing thread at the completion ofeach sewing cycle on each unit closed thereby and draws said thread intoengagement with the movable thread cutter mechanism 40 as will presentlybecome apparent.

The spring loaded thread engaging arm 41 is pivotally mounted to lieacross the path of the moving bag or receptacle on the conveyor platformand is engaged by the leading edge thereof. This arm is moved and heldout of its normal position across the passageway 39 by engagement withthe said bag or receptacle, its spring 42 being held under tensionthroughout such engagement. As the bag or receptacle passes beyond thereach of said arm 41 the same is then free to return to normal position.During this return movement the sewing thread or chaining is engaged bythe hook of said arm and moved into engagement with the movable threadcutter mechanism 40.

It will be understood that the switch control, and thread cuttingelements thus far described, are synchronized with the sewing orchaining cycle required for a specific unit to be closed thereby, sothat the thread severing operation will not occur until the usualselvage of the chaining thread trails behind the closed bag orreceptacle 9.

While there are herein disclosed but a limited number of embodiments ofthe structure, process and product of the invention herein presented, itis possible to produce still other embodiments without departing fromthe inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore,that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claims as arestated herein or required by the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. In an electric sewing machine for closing filled receptacles adaptedto be energized by an electric switch controlled source of current andhaving a sewing head, the improvement for intermittently starting andstopping the sewing head, and guide means on the sewing machine toposition and close said receptacle for sewing, said improvementcomprising in combination, a mounting plate secured to the said sewingmachine, a pair of transversely spaced fixed guide plates secured to themounting plate in outwardly and downwardly diverging relation thereto,said guide plates being in longitudinal alignment with the sewing headto afford a passageway therebetween for the said receptacle while thesame is advanced to the sewing head, an electric switch having a springloaded switch actuating arm pivotally mounted on the mounting plate forpivotal swinging movements in a horizontal plane across the passagewaybetween the guide plates adjacent the inner end portion thereof, saidswitch being energized by engagement of said actuating arm with thereceptacle as the same is advanced to the sewing head said switchremaining energized until said receptacle passes out of reach of thespring loaded switch actuating arm which then returns to its normalposition across the said passageway to open the electric switch and stopthe sewing head.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 further including secondary meansmounted on the mounting plate in the path of the receptacle to engagethe trailing thread selvage, and guide the same to a thread cuttingmechanism, said secondary means comprising a spring loaded arm having ahook-like outer end portion and being actuated by engagement thereofwith the advancing receptacle, said arm being held out of engagementwith the sewing thread until said receptacle passes out of reach of saidarm to permit the same to return to normal position simultaneouslyengaging the thread selvage and guiding the same into engagement withthe said thread cutting mechanism of the electric sewing machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,976,755 Thompson Oct. 16, 1934 2,539,627 Kindseth et al Jan. 30, 19512,569,396 Bates Sept. 25, 1951 2,676,556 Lockwood Apr. 27, 19542,932,266 Lutz Apr. 12, 1960

